1 And in the seventh H7637 year H8141 Jehoiada H3077 strengthened H2388 himself, and took H3947 the captains H8269 of hundreds, H3967 Azariah H5838 the son H1121 of Jeroham, H3395 and Ishmael H3458 the son H1121 of Jehohanan, H3076 and Azariah H5838 the son H1121 of Obed, H5744 and Maaseiah H4641 the son H1121 of Adaiah, H5718 and Elishaphat H478 the son H1121 of Zichri, H2147 into covenant H1285 with him.
2 And they went about H5437 in Judah, H3063 and gathered H6908 the Levites H3881 out of all the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of Israel, H3478 and they came H935 to Jerusalem. H3389
3 And all the congregation H6951 made H3772 a covenant H1285 with the king H4428 in the house H1004 of God. H430 And he said H559 unto them, Behold, the king's H4428 son H1121 shall reign, H4427 as the LORD H3068 hath said H1696 of the sons H1121 of David. H1732
4 This is the thing H1697 that ye shall do; H6213 A third part H7992 of you entering H935 on the sabbath, H7676 of the priests H3548 and of the Levites, H3881 shall be porters H7778 of the doors; H5592
5 And a third part H7992 shall be at the king's H4428 house; H1004 and a third part H7992 at the gate H8179 of the foundation: H3247 and all the people H5971 shall be in the courts H2691 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
6 But let none come H935 into the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 save the priests, H3548 and they that minister H8334 of the Levites; H3881 they shall go in, H935 for they are holy: H6944 but all the people H5971 shall keep H8104 the watch H4931 of the LORD. H3068
7 And the Levites H3881 shall compass H5362 the king H4428 round about, H5439 every man H376 with his weapons H3627 in his hand; H3027 and whosoever else cometh H935 into the house, H1004 he shall be put to death: H4191 but be ye with the king H4428 when he cometh in, H935 and when he goeth out. H3318
8 So the Levites H3881 and all Judah H3063 did H6213 according to all things that Jehoiada H3077 the priest H3548 had commanded, H6680 and took H3947 every man H376 his men H582 that were to come in H935 on the sabbath, H7676 with them that were to go H3318 out on the sabbath: H7676 for Jehoiada H3077 the priest H3548 dismissed H6358 not the courses. H4256
9 Moreover Jehoiada H3077 the priest H3548 delivered H5414 to the captains H8269 of hundreds H3967 spears, H2595 and bucklers, H4043 and shields, H7982 that had been king H4428 David's, H1732 which were in the house H1004 of God. H430
10 And he set H5975 all the people, H5971 every man H376 having his weapon H7973 in his hand, H3027 from the right H3233 side H3802 of the temple H1004 to the left H8042 side H3802 of the temple, H1004 along by the altar H4196 and the temple, H1004 by the king H4428 round about. H5439
11 Then they brought out H3318 the king's H4428 son, H1121 and put H5414 upon him the crown, H5145 and gave him the testimony, H5715 and made him king. H4427 And Jehoiada H3077 and his sons H1121 anointed H4886 him, and said, H559 God save H2421 the king. H4428
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Chronicles 23
Commentary on 2 Chronicles 23 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 23
2Ch 23:1-11. Jehoiada Makes Joash King.
1. in the seventh year Jehoiada … took the captains of hundreds, &c.—(See on 2Ki 11:4; 2Ki 11:17). The five officers mentioned here had been probably of the royal guard, and were known to be strongly disaffected to the government of Athaliah.
2. chief of all the fathers of Israel—This name is frequently used in Chronicles for Judah and Benjamin, now all that remained of Israel. Having cautiously entrusted the secret of the young prince's preservation to all the leading men in the kingdom, he enlisted their interest in the royal cause and got their pledge to support it by a secret oath of fidelity.
they came to Jerusalem—The time chosen for the grand discovery was, probably, one of the annual festivals, when there was a general concourse of the nation at the capital.
4-9. This is the thing that ye shall do—The arrangements made for defense are here described. The people were divided into three bodies; one attended as guards to the king, while the other two were posted at all the doors and gates, and the captains and military officers who entered the temple unarmed to lull suspicion, were furnished with weapons out of the sacred armory, where David had deposited his trophies of victory and which was reopened on this occasion.
8. Jehoiada … dismissed not the courses—As it was necessary to have as large a disposable force as he could command on such a crisis, the high priest detained those who, in other circumstances, would have returned home on the expiry of their week of service.
11. Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and gave him the testimony—Some think that the original word rendered "testimony," as its derivation warrants, may signify here the regalia, especially the bracelet (2Sa 1:10); and this view they support on the ground that "gave him" being supplemented, the text properly runs thus, "put upon him the crown and testimony." At the same time, it seems equally pertinent to take "the testimony" in the usual acceptation of that term; and, accordingly, many are of opinion that a roll containing a copy of the law (De 17:18) was placed in the king's hands, which he held as a scepter or truncheon. Others, referring to a custom of Oriental people, who when receiving a letter or document from a highly respected quarter, lift it up to their heads before opening it, consider that Joash, besides the crown, had the book of the law laid upon his head (see Job 31:35, 36).
God save the king—literally, "Long live the king."
2Ch 23:12-15. Athaliah Slain.
12. Athaliah heard the noise of the people—The unusual commotion, indicated by the blast of the trumpets and the vehement acclamations of the people, drew her attention, or excited her fears. She might have flattered herself that, having slain all the royal family, she was in perfect security; but it is just as likely that, finding on reflection, one had escaped her murderous hands, she might not deem it expedient to institute any enquiries; but the very idea would keep her constantly in a state of jealous suspicion and irritation. In that state of mind, the wicked usurper, hearing across the Tyropœon the outburst of popular joy, rushed across the bridge to the temple grounds, and, penetrating from a single glance the meaning of the whole scene, raised a shriek of "Treason!"
13. behold, the king stood at his pillar at the entering in—The king's pillar was in the people's court, opposite that of the priests'. The young king, arrayed in the royal insignia, had been brought out of the inner, to stand forth in the outer court, to the public view. Some think that he stood on the brazen scaffold of Solomon, erected beside the pillar [see on 2Ch 6:13].
14, 15. Slay her not in the house of the Lord … and when she was come to the entering of the horse gate by the king's house, they slew her there—The high priest ordered her immediately to be taken out of the temple grounds and put to death. "And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain" (2Ki 11:16). "Now, we are not to suppose that horses came into [the king's house] of residence, but into the king's (horses') house or hippodrome (the gate of the king's mules) [Josephus], he had built for them on the southeast of the temple, in the immediate vicinity of the horse gate in the valley of Kedron—a valley which was at that time a kind of desecrated place by the destruction of idols and their appurtenances" (2Ki 23:2, 6, 12) [Barclay, City of the Great King].
2Ch 23:16. Jehoiada Restores the Worship of God, and Settles the King.
16. Jehoiada made a covenant—(See on 2Ki 11:17).